Jeff Bernheisel
Marketing Coordinator
Inman News
P: 503.922.1090
E: jeff.bernheisel@inman.com

For Immediate Release

Connect with the Pulse of the Real Estate Industry
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From the sole-searching secrets of an online shoe seller to a statistical analysis of "Dancing with the Stars" -- and from an in-depth look at what lies beyond one of the worst housing crises in history, to the greatest industry innovations you haven't yet heard of, an upcoming West Coast real estate conference will touch all bases.

Inman News, a leading independent source of real estate news, advice and opinion invites you to join us at our annual Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco (Aug. 5-7, 2009), which brings together industry innovators, technologists, visionaries, risk-takers and newsmakers.

The conference, which dates back more than a dozen years, will draw more than 1,500 leaders in real estate, technology, lending, title, and financial services to the historic Palace Hotel, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary.

 Craigslist founder Craig Newmark will take the stage during the three-day event. Sherry Chris, president and CEO for international real estate franchise Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC -- the newest brand under the Realogy Corp. umbrella -- will discuss a modernization in the business model and culture of real estate brokerage.

 Alfred Lin, an executive for online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos.com, is among the list of keynote speakers (see Alfred Lin profile) -- his company has attracted attention from many industries for its passionate and progressive approach to employee satisfaction and customer service.

 Bill Tancer, general manager of global research for Web analytics company Hitwise and author of "Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters," has tested Web site traffic statistics as predictive tools for reality television shows and the latest presidential election, as examples. He will deliver a keynote address during a conference workshop.

Leaders of Realtor.com operator Move Inc., RE/MAX International, the California Association of Realtors, HomeGain, Redfin, Trulia, Zillow.com and other top names in real estate tech and brokerage will also share their views on the current state of the market, and beyond, during the conference.

Can't-miss events at Real Estate Connect:

 Connect Create: Witness a 48-hour hackathon in progress, with teams of computer programmers competing to develop a new "killer app" for real estate.

 In "From the Ashes: The Housing Market in a Post-Crash World," a panel of experts will highlight and forecast opportunities emerging in the wake of the housing crash.

 Connect LaunchPad: CEOs from new companies will give you a sneak peek at new online real estate applications.

 Technology and Media: Media convergence is here. Learn about innovations in new media, the rise of the Amazon Kindle digital multimedia reader, and trends in the "widgetized" Web and local mobile tech.

 Start-Up Alley: From their garage to you ... View demos and talk to the innovators behind the latest start-ups in the real estate space.

 Workshops: Bloggers Connect, a must for social media enthusiasts and gurus alike; ConnectTech (new), a geek-centric session for technology officers, developers, entrepreneurs and product managers to talk tech; and the Internet Marketing Summit, which delivers marketing strategies for real estate agents and brokers, are offered as three separate programs to kick off the conference.

Click here to view the full program.

Press registration for this event is free. Please contact Madelyn Mock, Inman News events director, to register COMPLETE APPLICATION HERE.

About Inman News: An award-winning independent real estate news organization, Inman News offers real estate news coverage, research-based case studies, informative webinars, and a full assortment of syndicated real estate advice and opinion columnists, who write on topics including: homebuyer and seller advice, the mortgage market, home improvement, rentals, real estate investment, financial markets, and personal finance. Contact Elaine Baker, syndication director, via e-mail at elaine@inman.com, or call (510) 658-9252, ext. 128, to purchase Inman News columnist articles and news content for your Web site or publication.

Inman News recently published case studies focused on real estate commission and compensation trends (see excerpt: "Real Estate Commissions: 2009. Compensation in a Time of Transition," and the changing form and function of real estate brokerage offices (see excerpt: "Beyond Brick and Mortar: Rethinking the Real Estate Office."). Contact Glenn Roberts Jr., Inman News managing editor, for more information about these studies, which are based on analyses of industry survey results: e-mail glenn@inman.com, or call (510) 658-9252, ext. 137.


Real Estate Connect registration: madelyn@inman.com.
Inman News editorial: glenn@inman.com.
Inman News syndication: elaine@inman.com.


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